logo
episode-header-image
Mar 2023
25m 24s

Israeli democracy at a crossroads

Financial Times
About this episode

Israeli journalist Nadav Eyal tells Gideon why he believes Israel is on course for a full-blown constitutional crisis. The Netanyahu government’s plan to curtail the power of the judiciary, he says, will remove democratic checks and balances that are crucial for the survival of a liberal democracy. Opponents include business, the military and the country's intellectual elite, as well as many middle-class Israelis who will not accept the proposed changes.

Clips: Anadolu Agency; NBC


Protests by Israeli reservists raise stakes in battle over judicial changes

Illiberal democracy comes to Israel

US defence secretary cuts short trip to Israel ahead of mass protests


Subscribe to The Rachman Review wherever you get your podcasts - please listen, rate and subscribe.

Presented by Gideon Rachman. Produced by Fiona Symon. Sound design is by Breen Turner


Read a transcript of this episode on FT.com



Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Up next
Today
Putin steps up summer offensive against Ukraine
Russia’s attacks on Ukraine are escalating, both on the front lines and across urban centres. Ben Hall, the FT’s Europe editor, talks to military analyst Franz-Stefan Gady about Ukraine’s battle to hold onto territory until a ceasefire can be agreed. Clips: Channel 4; ABCFree lin ... Show More
19m 23s
Jul 3
Is the US heading for a debt crisis?
Gideon talks to Ray Dalio, founder of Bridgewater Associates, the world’s largest hedge fund and author of a new book: How Countries Go Broke. They discuss the size of the US debt and what history tells us about identifying warning signs. Clip: CBSFree links to read more on this ... Show More
24m 3s
Jun 12
Nato’s moment of truth
Gideon talks to Oana Lungescu, Nato's former and longest-serving spokesperson, about what to expect from this month’s summit and what's at stake? Can Europe convince the Trump administration that Russia is a risk they need to take seriously, and will an agreement to increase defe ... Show More
29m 17s
Recommended Episodes
Mar 2023
Protests and the Future of Democracy in Israel
Almost immediately after taking power in December, Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right coalition in Isreal proposed a highly contentious overhaul of the Supreme Court.The court has long been seen as a crucial check and lone backstop on the government, and the plan has divided Israeli ... Show More
29m 3s
Mar 2023
Israel’s Far Right Government Backs Down
For months in Israel, the far-right government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been pushing a highly contentious plan to fundamentally change the country’s Supreme Court, setting off some of the largest demonstrations in Israel’s history.On Monday, Mr. Netanyahu announce ... Show More
23m 4s
Feb 2023
Israel's government moves to the far-right
Over the past month, Israelis have taken to the streets in massive demonstrations. They're opposed to Prime Minister Netanyahu's new plan to limit the power of the Supreme Court and worry about what that means for minority rights and Israeli democracy. Today, we will talk about t ... Show More
25m 29s
Mar 2024
Political Analyst Dahlia Scheindlin
The majority of Israelis are in favor of early elections, according to Dahlia Scheindlin, a political analyst and pollster. As the government faces growing calls for change and international critics voice their concerns regarding Israeli leadership, the author of "The Crooked Tim ... Show More
58m 52s
Jan 2023
Bibi’s gambit: Israel’s government v its judiciary
Israel’s right-wing coalition government has the country’s supreme court in its sights. Their proposal to effectively subjugate its independence to the legislature has sparked protests and stirred concern for the country’s democracy. Our correspondent reports from a newly reopene ... Show More
26m 22s
Mar 2023
Simcha Rothman: Is Israel plunging into chaos?
Stephen Sackur speaks to Israeli politician Simcha Rothman, a key architect of the Netanyahu government’s controversial legal reforms aimed at radically overhauling the country’s judicial system. Critics say the plans threaten Israel’s democracy. This, alongside the rising violen ... Show More
24m 21s
Mar 2023
Led by Bibi, Led by Humza & Led By Donkeys
More mass protests in the streets- this time in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and the rest of Israel.Millions of Israelis believe their democracy to be in jeopardy. The airport is blocked, universities out of action, a general strike has been called. Even the diplomats won’t go to work. Wi ... Show More
44m 49s
Jul 2023
Supreme Court changes ‘tear the fabric’ of Israel
Despite months of mass protests, Israel’s far-right government pushed through a law weakening the country’s Supreme Court on Monday. Under it, the Court is no longer able to strike down some government decisions. Fears over the effect this and other planned changes could have on ... Show More
23m 1s
Jan 2023
Bibi’s gambit: Israel’s government v its judiciary
Israel’s right-wing coalition government has the country’s supreme court in its sights. Their proposal to effectively subjugate its independence to the legislature has sparked protests and stirred concern for the country’s democracy. Our correspondent reports from a newly reopene ... Show More
26m 22s